Planning Commission approves Rs 3650 crores for state

NEW DELHI, April 26 (Agencies): The Planning Commission  approved a Plan outlay of Rs 3,650 crore for Manipur for 2013-14, an increase of 4.3 per cent from the previous fiscal on Thursday.

In 2012-13, the state government had received a Plan size of Rs 3,500 crore.

The plan size was finalized here in a meeting between Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh.

"We had a very good meeting. Many members have complemented the Chief Minister that Manipur has performed very well in many dimensions. We have agreed for this year a plan size of Rs 3,650 crore, its a big increase over the actual achievement last year," Ahluwalia told reporters.

"Actual achievement I think is only about Rs 2,100 crore. I had my doubts whether this was feasible, but the Chief Minister and his colleagues have assured me that the pace of work has really picked up," he said.

Appreciating the achievements of the state, Ahluwalia said Manipur has the lowest infant mortality rate in the whole country.

"Many other areas that we have reviewed, our assessment is that in the use of central assistance in the last year, Manipur government has done a very good job, particularly some of the irrigation projects that had been stuck for a long time," he said.

Ahluwalia also mentioned about the delay in getting the funds from the Centre and assured the Chief Minsiter to put in place a mechanism for speedy release of funds.

"I think this is a valid point and some other states have also said this. So we have assured him that we will put in place a mechanism knowing that the working period in Manipur is relatively short. We will put in place a mechanism that the funds that is being provided in the plan will not get held up and get released on time."

However, the Chief Minister of Manipur said that he was not fully satisfied by the plan size, but given the financial crunch the country is facing, he was happy.

"We are not fully satisfied. But of course, seeing the entire country's financial crunch, we are happy. We are satisfied with this plan size of Rs 3,650 crore," the CM said.

Ahluwalia said that the Planning Commission explained the Chief Minister about the financial situation, as the overall increase in the Central Plan over the budgeted estimate was only about 5 per cent.

"I have explained to the Chief Minister that this is a year of financial difficulty and even in the central government, the overall increase in the Central Plan over the BE (Budget estimate) is only about 5 per cent. so there is no difference between Manipur and the Centre," Ahluwalia said.